My New Year resolution for 2012 is to read more. While I felt that I didn’t read enough in 2011, after creating my top 15 books of the year, I see that I read quality. Obviously, I couldn’t quite limit myself to a Top 10, and I had a hard time ranking the books I loved. (When a Stephen McCauley novel doesn’t end up in my Top 10, you know the competition is fierce!) I do have to say that I’ve got a pretty terrific job. Looking at my list of top books of the year, I have met twelve of these talented writers because of that job. I am constantly exposed to hundreds of really great books; so many that I just can’t read them all! But I’d sure like to try.
Before I announce my #1 book of the year, here is a quick recap of #’s 2 – 15
15. The Leftovers by Tom Perotta
14. We the Animals by Justin Torres
13. Half Empty by David Rakoff
12. The Babysitter Murders by Janet Young
11. Insignificant Others by Stephen McCauley
10. For the Win by Cory Doctorow
9. The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson
8. Everything Beautiful Began After by Simon van Booy
7. The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey
6. Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire
5. Faith by Jennifer Haigh
4. The World We Found by Thrity Umrigar
3. The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
2. The Bards of Bone Plain by Patricia A. McKillip
And…
#1 – State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
Patchett takes us from Boston to the deepest hidden realms of the Amazon in this layered, haunting tale of biomedical exploration and the search for ourselves. Outstanding writing is Patchett’s hallmark in this intricately layered novel. Deep, complex strands of narrative all come together beautifully and characters, both main and incidental are fully explored and brought to life. This is a masterful work. I’ve only read one other book by Patchett, Run, which I also love. This book just grabbed me instantly and wouldn’t let go. I read it on a trip to the Canary Islands and was totally absorbed as I sat by the pool and sipped cocktails. The relationship between the two central characters is complicated, challenging, multi-layered and a joy to read. It’s one of the things I love about fiction as opposed to other media; that two women are allowed to have the central roles and be explored. This one took me completely by surprise, and while I’m late to the table, I’m sure glad I’ve discovered such a commanding writer.